Warner Mfg. Co. (Minneapolis, MN), which has been making tools for professional tradespeople and do-it-yourselfers since 1927, has selected Compostables resin from Cereplast Inc. for the biodegradable painting accessories that are part of its Eco-Friendly line of tools. According to Warner, this is a first in the North American market.
The Warner Biodegradable Painting Accessories that are molded in the Cereplast material include edge guides, putty knives, stirrers, scrapers, and more. Warner’s website shows the tools composting in about 60 days. The company stresses that, in addition to being biodegradable, the tools combine good ergonomics, sturdiness, and multifunctionality.
Bill Laramy, executive VP of sales and marketing at Warner Tools Products, says the company was looking for a biodegradable, compostable resin for this product line, which is distributed around the United States. “The critical factor was the flexural modulus, as we needed the proper stiffness for the putty knife blades.” Warner also wanted melt flow and process temperatures similar to the material previously used so that cycle times would stay about what they were. Laramy pointed out that Cereplast was very helpful in guiding Warner through compostability testing. —[email protected]
